HAUNTED ROSE
by cronealone
Summary: Rose still misses her doctor even though his twin is with her. Then the doctor with her realizes that his twin regenerated and worries for his own life. Will he disappear? Will Rose even care if he did? Rated M in chapters' 2, 6 & 8


**_Prologue_**

How do you explain your love for a ghost. And an alien ghost as well? Rose twirled a piece of thread on the comforter of the bed and sighed. It took quite a while to accept the doctor who lived with her on this barren land as being HER doctor but he knew just how to awaken her heart. That first gentle touch of his hand against her cheek, thumb brushing her lips and then the passion with which he pulled her against him when she cried out for her doctor or who she referred to as the REAL doctor. She would put her head on his strong shoulder and dream of the other foolishly thinking that this man in front of her had no feelings at all. Only when she caught him sitting on the sand gazing out across the water with tears streaming down his cheeks did she even consider that what she was putting him through might be hurting him. She wasn't alone in this and yet she couldn't get past the image of the real doctor disappearing in the tardis leaving her behind. Only when she found that the her doctor might have disappeared forever did she begin to realize that she might have been wrong all along.

**_Chapter One _**

He knew the moment it happened. They were still tied together, his 'twin' and himself. He could see what his twin saw and, within limits could feel what his twin felt as well. So when the emptiness descended onto him and the connection between them went silent he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that his 'better half' (one way Rose referred to his twin) had died and had regenerated. He would sit for hours by the bay where he was left with Rose straining to hear his voice but all he heard were the waves around his feet. He looked down at the water swirling beneath him, sobbing for the loss of his brother and crying as well for the man that Rose wanted him to be. He never felt so utterly alone before. He paced the sand back and forth trying to figure out whether he should tell Rose or not when suddenly he noticed something very odd. The sand that should have been displaced from his feet was as smooth as when he first stepped onto it. He reached down to lift some sand into his hands but he could not grasp it. The truth hit him hard; without his brother he was merely a shadow. An empty vessel with no substance to speak of. He was scared, as scared he imagined as his twin had felt having to leave one body behind. But his predicament was much more dire. He was disappearing completely leaving behind nothing. He had to find Rose quickly and let her know lest she thinks he left her of his own free will. With the beating of his heart still loud in his chest he took off toward the bungalow she called home.

**_Chapter Two_**

"Rose!" he cried out as he swung the door open and approached the bed where she lay. She stirred in her sleep, not wanting to wake up from her now recurring dream. Her doctor was there with her in her bed and like a thief in the night took all of her in a whirlwind of flesh against flesh. She knew it wasn't real yet somehow it was, she couldn't explain it. Every night she longed for this dream and every night he didn't disappoint her. His lips on hers, tongue probing and parting them with such fire that she barely could breathe. Breasts pressed against his chest, his hands tracing her body with open palms, first down her sides and then along her back and across her buttocks. Next down her thighs then sliding up between them until he dipped his fingers into her wetness only to bring them to his mouth to taste her. The feelings that welled inside of her were always the same, first gentleness when he kissed her initially because his lips were soft and supple then passionate once he realized she would not push him away leading to something even beyond that...something that was so hungry and ferocious it threatened to tear her to shreds. A passion beyond passion, need beyond need, release beyond anything she had ever known or could know before. She could hear him in her head 'what do you want from me, tell me what you want from me' and her answer was always the same, 'you, I want you to take me away' whispered against his mouth. Only then would he impale her forcing the stars all around in the dark blue sky to fill her. And as he moved, so very slowly at first and then faster than anything she could comprehend the stars exploded, one by one forcing her to cry out when all control was lost. Her body arched against his, mouth open, eyes glued shut. She became lost with only his hands and the weight of his body keeping her from shattering into a million pieces. It was at this point where she would finally open her eyes and look deeply into the pools of brown that were his. His eyes bore deeply into her soul and told her "you are mine and no one else's, you belong to me and I belong to you." Every night the same yet every night a bit different. So she was just a little curious when tonight she thought she heard something that chilled her to her very core. It was one word whispered into her ear. "Goodbye."

**_Chapter Three_**

When the first light of day creeped over the horizon she woke, feeling used but in the best way possible, his scent mingling with her sweat and the ghost of his weight still leaving its presence on her skin. She yawned and went into the kitchen to have some breakfast. She buttered a scone and put on some tea. She almost forgot the ending of her dream and probably would have if the note he had written hadn't fallen off the table and onto her feet.

"Dear Rose, My body on the 'other side' is no longer mine. I have regenerated there and from what I can tell it was for the greatest good which it always should be. It was not a hollow death with no meaning; in fact it happened for all the right reasons. Its not every day you get to save lives so rejoice in the fact that the world, both of our worlds are at peace again. Sounds daft doesn't it? But I mean it, don't you dare Rose Tyler, don't dare shed too many tears over this. When I would tell you that you are mine and and I belong to you I meant it without hesitation. Think of it Rose, I loved you in this dimension and the other as well. I won't stop no matter where I end up. Do you remember when I said to you on New Years Eve in 2005 that you would have an amazing year? We did now didn't we? We had many amazing years. So many memories Rose. Some not so good but mostly they were all amazing. I saw the universe through your eyes and what a privilege that was. Who knows, maybe we will meet again...time being what it is. So do me a favor Rose, alright? The next time you see a shooting star make a wish on it for me and I will do the same for you from wherever I am okay? I love you Rose Tyler, don't ever forget that."

**_Chapter Four_**

Her mother found her curled up in a ball on the kitchen floor having laid there all day, incoherent and red in the face from hours and hours of crying. She managed to pry the letter out of her hands and read it, only then putting all the pieces of the puzzle together. "Come on love, let's get you into bed" helping her up and supporting her as she shuffled over to the bed, got in and pulled the covers up. His scent still lingered in the bed sheets causing her to sob again in such a pit of despair it frightened her mom terribly. "Rose, you have to try to rest now, that is what you need the most." she said, "Let me get you some warm milk alright? You always enjoyed that." Jackie went back into the kitchen and began heating some milk for her daughter. She reached into the spice rack to retrieve some nutmeg to sprinkle into it when she was caught off guard by the very same despair. 'Just a few tears now' she said to herself not wanting Rose to see her crying too. She poured the milk into a mug and brought it into her daughter. She wasn't there though which gave Jackie a moment of worry. She could hear her calling to her from the swing on the porch, 'I am out here mum' she announced. 'Looking for a shooting star', she told her as she sat down next to her daughter. 'He told me to find one which is what I am going to do every night from now on.' she told her, 'look there's one!' she exclaimed as she closed her eyes and murmured a silent prayer on the star.' "What did you wish for" Jackie asked her, "if you don't mind telling me that is" she whispered. Rose's eyes welled up as she turned towards her mother. "I can't say mum, it is between only him and me."

**_Chapter Five_**

Jackie knew her daughter was exhausted. Rose had fallen asleep against her shoulder. Each breath she took was punctuated with a raspy sob. "Come on Rose, let me get you back to bed and under the covers, feels like it is going to be a chilly one and stormy too." She could see the storm clouds gathering and lightning over the water in the distance. "I will sleep in the guest room tonight so if you need anything you just wake me." Jackie told her as she turned off the light and waited until Rose was sleeping. "Sweet dreams" she murmured as she left her to go to sleep herself in the other room. Only then did she allow herself to break down, feeling the full impact of what had happened.

Jackie prayed for a dreamless sleep for her daughter but it wasn't meant to be. The storm which Jackie had hoped would stay offshore came inland and the air crackled with lightening all around them.

**_Chapter Six _**

Rose sensed him before she felt him. Loud thunder filled the air as if to herald his arrival. Familiar hands caressed her, traced her body from top to bottom. His lips locked on hers while his tongue did a familiar dance inside her mouth. She rejoiced, he hadn't left her at all. Her mind became confused; was the day with its ominous letter really the dream and this was reality or vice versa? With the sound of the thunder he took her then but something that dwelled deep inside her pulled back. Some inner knowledge hidden at her very core whispered to her this is not right. Something was wrong, something was definitely very wrong. For a brief moment she let her body respond and was transported into the heavens as reward. But again something was amiss. There was enjoyment even ecstasy there but nothing more. There was not a feeling of oneness with him, only separateness as if they both stood on different islands in the same ocean. Suddenly his voice filled her "you are mine and no one else's, you belong to me and I belong to you." She gasped and her eyes flew open. Making love to her was someone she did not recognize. She tried to untangle her thoughts from his but he held fast.

**_Chapter Seven_**

A feeling of confusion moved from his thoughts to hers, "it's me Rose, it is still me. The body might have changed but the memories, all of them are still inside me. I am still the same person Rose." "What did you do to him?" her mind screamed at his, "where is he?!" "Rose it is ok, please calm down, it is alright really." he released her body from his, "I didn't mean to...oh wow, messed it up already." In her dream she backed as far away from him as possible on the bed. "Rose I regenerated but it is still me. I am still the same doctor who loves you and cares for you." his voice was soothing, kind. "2005 Rose, remember? I told you that you would have an amazing year and we did, together." She relaxed a bit but was still wary. She understood the process of regeneration having gone through it with the doctor before and yes, she even cared about the doctor after that last change but this was too sudden. "I didn't see you regenerate so how can I believe that you are him?" "Like I said Rose, I have all the memories, every last one of them. They are locked inside here (he pointed to his head) and here (he placed his hand over his heart.)" The sky lit up again with lightening giving Rose, for one brief second a sense of his future. And she was not in it. She said to him "Doctor, you will find other ones to love. You are your own person now and I am just as you said, a memory. You are free to be your own man. I can let you go now." The new doctor seemed to relax and with that relaxation came a sense of letting go. "Let me just ask you one last thing, okay?" She said to him. He nodded. "If you have all of his memories and know everything he knew then tell me what did I wish for on that shooting star?" "You wished me a safe trip" came a familiar voice off to her right."

**_Chapter Eight_**

The new doctor smiled and began to fade away. "That is what you said, isn't it because you kind of mumbled when you said it and it was a bit hard to hear..." Now wide awake she threw on the light switch and turned towards a very familiar voice. "Now a safe trip could mean that you didn't want me to hurt myself if I fell over something or..." Rose starred at her doctor in disbelief. "I am sorry Rose, I would have been here sooner but I had this bout of fading away myself that I had to deal with. Got that sorted out thank you very much because it was your missing me that put the pieces back together so to speak. I really didn't think you wanted me around until tonight." Rose nodded her head in agreement, "I really didn't understand that you were him all along until I was faced with what you had become after regenerating." She smiled coyly, "now if your regenrerated self had been a ginger I might have given you a go." He looked deeply into her eyes and smiled. He put his familiar lips on hers and kissed her deeply. She breathed him in. "Do you really think those were just dreams you were having every night?" he asked her. This time she was the one who traced her hands over his body, then caressed his cheek He shuddered. She laid her head on his chest and heard that glorious one heart beating. "Hmmm...I don't know, I guess you'd better prove to me they weren't" She turned and stared again into those deep pools of brown that she had come to love so much and watched them smile with joy.

And they lived and loved together, happily ever after. The End.


End file.
